Starting mechanism for hydrocarbon-engines.



R. HUPF.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR HYDROGARBON ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

1,049,487,, Patented Jan.7, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

cowmum PLANOCIRAPH 410., WASHINGTON. n. c.

R. HUFF.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR HYDBOGARBON ENGINES.

Patented Jan.7,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1906.

attozwm o WMwaooeo RUSSELL I-IUFF, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY

PAQKARI) MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF MICHIGAN.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, I0

STARTING MECHANISM FOR I-IYDROCARBON-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 7, 1913..

Application filed July 20, 1906. Serial No. 327,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BUssnLL HUFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism forHydrocarbon-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydrocarbon engines andparticularly to starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines employed inmotor vehicles.

The invention also consists in means for shifting the cam shaft of ahydrocarbon engine for the purpose of bringing normally inoperative camsinto action in starting the engine to relieve the compression whichtends to interfere with cranking or starting by hand. v

The invention also consists in the pe culiar mechanism employed forconnecting the cam shaft with shifting means, and of other details, asfully set forth hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a hydrocarbon engine having arotatable and sliding cam shaft, and embodying my improvements; Fig. 2is a sectional elevation, enlarged, of the shaft shifting and connectingmeans; Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the cams; Fig. 4 is a section onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown it inconnection with a hydrocarbon engine where a shaft 0 is mounted so as toslide in end bearings, and is rotated by means of suitable drivinggears, one of which is shown, and is provided with cams 0, acting uponthe antifriction rollers of plungers 64 arranged below the stems V ofthe exhaust valves of the engine, to thereby operate the same in propertime in the normal operations of the engine.

In order to relieve the compression which tends to interfere with thecranking or starting of the engine by hand, the shaft G is provided withminor or auxiliary cams Z2, shown as arranged upon and projecting frothe cams c, which, however, are normally out of action, but can bebrought to operate the plungers by shifting the shaft 0 longitudinally,and when so operated, the plungers will so lift the exhaust valvesduring connected with the a portion of the compression stroke as toallow portions of the gases to escape and reduce the extent ofresistance which would result from the compression of the full gaseouscharge. In order to shift the said shaft longitudinally fromnon-rotative shifting means, but maintain a proper flexible connectionbetween said means and the shaft, I make use of the devices which I willnow describe.

At one end of the shaft, as shown at the end provided with the gear D,is connected the outer race E of a ball bearing, and within the latteris the companion race E, and in the said races are annular grooves toreceive the usual balls f. The inner race is connected to a spindle 13,which is mounted in a suitable bearing G in the frame of the apparatusso as to slide longitudinally therein, a lover or other operating deviceL being spindle to shift the same.

The race E may be secured to the shaft C or to the gear D in anysuitable manner, but as shown it is held in place by means of an annularclamp plate 9, having a flange by which it is bolted to the gear.

The inner race E fits a boss upon the spindle F and is clamped theretoby means of a nut screwing on to the end of the boss. The longitudinalmovement of the spindle F, through the medium of its operating device,serves to shift the shaft C which, however, can rotate independently ofthe spindle; and the interposed anti-friction rolls serve to connect thesame flexibly and prevent any lost motion between the shaft and theoperating spindle, while permitting the free rotation of the shaftindependently of the spindle, and reducing to a very great extent thefriction between the two in shifting the shaft. Further, the saidconnection reduces the friction during the normal rotation of the shaftwhen the spindle holds it in its longitudinal position. To thus hold theshaft in longitudinal position, it is necessary to secure the spindle inthe different positions to which it may be set, without permitting anymotion, but in such a manner as to facilitate the shifting of thespindle by the shifting device. To this end I make use of a suitabledetent, which will hold the spindle in either position to which it maybe set. This detent may be separately operated and set by hand, butpreferably is a yielding the spindle has separated an, adapted toreceive bolt P, sliding ina socket of the frame and carried toward thespindle by means of a spring (Z exerting suflicient power to hold thebolt in either notch during the operation of the apparatus, but capableof yielding when power is applied to move the spindle longitudinally,and bring the edge of either notch against the inclined face of thebolt, when the latter will be forced back until the other notch isbrought above it, when it will spring into place.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the usual crank it for starting the engine of anautomobile, which crank is normally idle and is connected to thestarting shaft 2' by a clutch is. On the shaft 11 is a gear Z in meshwith the gear D. To start the motor the cam shaft is first thrown intoposition to bring the auxiliary cams into operation and the crank isthen turned in the proper direction. When the motor has started thecrank is released and the cam shaft then thrown into its normalposition.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction shown, I claim as myinvention,

1. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with acrank case and a longitudinally shiftable cam shaft therein havingthereon two sets of cams, one of said sets of cams being adapted torelieve compression to facilitate starting the engine, of a startingshaft and crank therefor, and means for shifting the cam shaftpreparatory to starting the engine, comprising a spindle adapted to bemoved endwise and arranged coaxially with the cam shaft and connectedtherewith, and a handle outside of the crank case for shifting thespindle longitudinally.

.2. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination witha longitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon two sets of cams,one of said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression tofacilitate starting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor,and means for shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a non-rotatable spindle arranged coaxially with the camshaft, ball bearings connecting and interlocking the cam shaft with thespindle, and means for shifting the spindle longitudinally. I

3. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon two sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor shifting the cam shaftpreparatory to starting the engine, comprisinga non-rotatable spindle arranged coaXially' with the cam shaft,concentric ball bearings connected respectively with the spindle andwith the cam shaft, anti-friction balls. arranged in said bearings, andmeans for shifting the spindle longitudinally.

a. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable camshaft having thereon two sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to'relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a spindle arranged coaxially with the cam shaft, meansconnecting the spindle with the cam shaft and permitting of means foryieldably locking the spindle in different longitudinal positions.

5. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon two sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor. shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a spindle adapted to be moved endwise and arranged coaXiallywith the cam shaft and connected therewith by means permitting relativerotation, means for holding said spindle and shaft in differentpositions, and an operating device connected with the spindle to shiftthe same. I

6. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon two sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a spindle connected with the cam shaft, said spindle beingprovided with a plurality of sockets, and a spring-actnated detentadapted to engage the sockets and yieldably hold the spindle indifferent longitudinal positions.

7. In starting mechanism for hydrocarbon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon two sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a spindle, ball bearings connecting and interlocking therelative rotation, and

cam shaft With the spindle, said spindle being provided with a pluralityof sockets, and a spring-actuated detent adapted to engage the socketsand yieldingly hold the spindle in different longitudinal positions.

8. In starting mechanism forhydrocarhon engines, the combination with alongitudinally shiftable cam shaft having thereon tWo sets of cams, oneof said sets of cams being adapted to relieve compression to facilitatestarting the engine, of a starting shaft and crank therefor, and meansfor shifting the cam shaft preparatory to starting the engine,comprising a spindle arranged coaxially with the cam shaft, concentricball bearings connected respectively With the spindle and With the camshaft,

anti-friction balls arranged in said bearings, and means for yieldablylocking the spindle in different longitudinal positions.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RUSSELL HUFF. W'itnesses:

MARK C. TAYLOR, H. M. ALLIsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

